It’s the “Layla” guitar. Enough said. This ’56 Strat was with Clapton during Cream (briefly) and Derek & the Dominoes and now resides at Paul Allen’s Experience Music Project in Seattle, WA.

9. Gold Leaf Strat, Eric Clapton, $455,000

Another Clapton guitar on the list (it won’t be the last, or even second to last!) – this gold leaf Strat was built for Clapton by Fender master builder Mark Kendrick, purportedly because Clapton wanted a guitar he could “hang in a museum.” EC used it on the Legends tour in ’97 and again in 2001 on the One More Car, One More rider tour, after which it was sold to Christie’s Auction House.

8. Gibson SG, George Harrison and John Lennon, $570,000

This guitar was used by both Beatles between 1966 and 1969, making appearances on Revolver and the White album.7. Fender Strat, Stevie Ray Vaughan $623,500

SRV’s Strat “Lenny” was named after his wife, who bought him this circa ’65 composite Strat for his birthday in 1980. After SRV died tragically in a helicopter crash in 1990, Vaughan’s brother Jimmy donated the guitar, which was auctioned off and sold to Guitar Center.

6. 1939 CF Martin, Eric Clapton, $791,500

Clapton’s career experienced a resurgence in ’92 after the release of the hit acoustic ballad, “Tears in Heaven.” Clapton even performed an all-acoustic set on MTV Unplugged using this guitar, which he later auctioned off to raise money for his Crossroads Rehabilitation Center.5. 1964 Gibson ES-335, Eric Clapton $847,500

Clapton used this guitar during his time with the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. It was auctioned off at Christie’s in 2004 and at the time was the 3rd highest price paid for a guitar at time of sale.

4. Blackie Strat, Eric Clapton, $959,000

Blackie is probably Clapton’s most iconic guitar. As the story goes, Clapton bought six Strats in a guitar shop in Texas. He gave three away (to Harrison, Townshend, and Winwood) and parted the other three out to build Blackie, a guitar he used faithfully for 15 years. Like many of his iconic guitars, Clapton auctioned this instrument off to raise money for the Crossroads Rehab Center.

3. Washburn, Bob Marley, valued at 1.2 million

Somewhat infamously, Bob Marley didn’t own very many guitars. Though an exact number is not officially known, this Washburn became a somewhat infamous instrument. Supposedly one of the first Washburn guitars ever made, Marley rarely played this Washburn and gave it to his guitar tech, Gary Carlsen. The guitar has been classified by the Jamaican government as a national treasure.

2. 1968 Fender Strat, Jimi Hendrix $2,000,000

Hopefully no explanation is needed when we say that this guitar was one that Hendrix played at Woodstock (um, for example, on the “Star Spangled Banner”) and Paul Allen paid $2m for it to be housed at Experience Music Project in Seattle, Hendrix’s hometown.

1. Reach Out to Asia Strat. $2,700,000

In 2004, tragedy struck in the form of a fiercely destructive tsunami, affecting several nations in the Indian Ocean. To help raise money for relief efforts, a signed Fender Strat was auctioned off—and it wasn’t signed by just anybody. This guitar features the signatures of sheer legends: Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Brian May, David Gilmour, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler, Pete Townshend, Tony Iommi, Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Sting, Ritchie Blackmore, the members of Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, Liam Gallagher, and Paul McCartney. The guitar raised ALMOST $3m for Reach Out to Asia, a charity formed to help victims of the tsunami.

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I'd rather have a full Bottle in front of me than a full Frontal Lobotomy!!

Somewhat infamously, Bob Marley didn’t own very many guitars. Though an exact number is not officially known, this Washburn became a somewhat infamous instrument. Supposedly one of the first Washburn guitars ever made, Marley rarely played this Washburn and gave it to his guitar tech, Gary Carlsen. The guitar has been classified by the Jamaican government as a national treasure.

If that one is "valued at" 1.2 mil (it wouldn't sell for anything remotely close to that - no one knows he ever even had it) ...I wonder what the guitar he actually played would go for?

It's an early 70s (probably 1972) LP special, heavily modified over many years. He, along with that guitar, singlehandedly transformed Reggae and consequently pop music permanently and forever.Legend has it he was buried with that axe - along with a bible opened to Psalm 23 and a bud of Mary Jane (his sacrament).

I have no idea about the order of top 10 but I think some o John 5 could be one of those. His addicted to tele. He even have one of the very first of them...it was called broadcatser back then. Also he has a guitar with no name. A tele without a "tele". Just a Fender logo on the headstock. He was explaining Fender had some problems about the name (?) that was reserved by the Gretsch as I remember

If that one is "valued at" 1.2 mil (it wouldn't sell for anything remotely close to that - no one knows he ever even had it) ...I wonder what the guitar he actually played would go for?

It's an early 70s (probably 1972) LP special, heavily modified over many years. He, along with that guitar, singlehandedly transformed Reggae and consequently pop music permanently and forever.Legend has it he was buried with that axe - along with a bible opened to Psalm 23 and a bud of Mary Jane (his sacrament).

*EC's got a lot of geetars in that list!

You are right about the Marley Guitar, it was given to him by Washburn but there is no documented evidence that he ever used it. The Jamaican government does not consider the Washburn a “national treasure.” A JA government official sent the owner a letter saying that if it *was* Bob’s guitar, it *would be* a national treasure. Not that it was his guitar or that they were classifying it as anything.

EC sold a huge part of his collection for his Crossroads Charity. A friend of mine was working at Christies in London for a couple of the sales and gave me the brochures!!

QUOTE (Darius Wave @ Jan 15 2014, 10:19 PM)

Also he has a guitar with no name. A tele without a "tele". Just a Fender logo on the headstock. He was explaining Fender had some problems about the name (?) that was reserved by the Gretsch as I remember

In mid-February of 1951, the Gretsch Company contacted Fender to point out that the guitar’s name was very similar to its Broadkaster drum set. Gretsch requested “immediate assurance” that Fender would abandon the name. Fender complied, and the guitar continued to be produced without a name until September of that year, when “Telecaster” began appearing on the decal. The Telecaster name continues to be used on the Broadcaster’s contemporary descendents.

QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Jan 16 2014, 09:15 AM)

Amazing stories! I think I am addicted to this sort of 'legends'

Me too!! I am surprised that there are a couple missing from the original list though.Bob Dylans Newport Folk Festival Strat for instance ($965,000), Some of Gerry Garcias Tiger and Wolf guitars ($950,000 each) and lastly Mark Twain’s 1835 2.5-17 Martin, valued at over $15 MILLION!!!Clicky Here!!!

QUOTE (Taka Perry @ Jan 16 2014, 11:31 AM)

Great post! It's really cool that there are guitars this expensive. I'd be too scared to touch a guitar like that..

Hehe, maybe someday we'll see a Cosmin Lupu signature guitar in this list!

In some ways it is but to my mind it's a shame that these things that were made to make music will remain silent and dead in a collection somewhere not fulfilling their destiny!!

A C-man Signature is pretty much a certainty one day!!!

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I'd rather have a full Bottle in front of me than a full Frontal Lobotomy!!

John 5 is such a Tele freak. That picture reminds me of Yngwie's picture of him with his whole collection of guitars (all scalloped necks, of course). The transistion between Broadcaster and Telecaster had no brand name for a short while. Those guitars are called "No-casters"

I love this historical guitar stuff. I have a few books with some detailed illustrations of guitars and old tube amps.One book I have is called Star Guitars which goes into detail about 50 iconic guitars. Mostly goes into classic rock and country guitars. It is worth checking out if you're into that sorta thing.

Yeah those things are awesome. To be honest every one of us could get rich Just buy a guitar when You're young and wait till You get old to sell it

I was going through Fender history a few times...but never remember enough details I only remember that there are some traps for customers. For example...76' start is worth a lot while 77" was considered a fail (imaginary example - don't treat those dates as reference I'm just trying to give example)

IF there will ever be a guitar called Lupino guitar, needless to say that all of the GMC members will have a discount And about that Mark Twain guitar - I had no clue that the guy was playing guitar... AMAZING story!

Somehow, I was sure that Neil would know stuff about these things

I found this nice story about a guy selling vintage guitars and how '2 friends' visited him

Until we will find the name for guitar, Cosmin will do something alone and undercover and he will take all the money Somehow we must be partners We will find the name for his new brand, become endorsers for his guitars and he will give us one guitar as a gift So, cool deal?

This post has been edited by Monica Gheorghevici: Jan 18 2014, 06:26 PM

Lupino sounded catchy though The good thing is that I've searched for the brand names and they don't exist yet

Hahaha.....and this is like I said....you found already something "alone and undercover"......so, case closed

Cool name of brands and you have right I searched and didn't exist Damn.....you move so fast But in case of some things become reality......you still need some endorsers for your guitars So.....keep in mind that 2 persons worked hard to find a name for your brand

Hehehe, I'll be your endorsee for Lupino guitars I can already see the model number CL-100 or something

It will be a VERY simple guitar Easy to play, great tone, versatile, classic shapes, NO floyds whatsoever ) and most likely it will have a 6, 7, 8 string version and a baritone as well And of course, the acoustic 6 string and the acoustic baritone Ha! I already covered the nice situations, right?